Colts Urged to Brace for Major Changes in 2026

Though one of the two could see success as the starter in an upgraded offensive unit, some critics think the Colts need to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Bleacher Report analyst Brent Sobleski feels Indianapolis should already look ahead at the 2026 NFL draft class in preparation for a new starting quarterback.

"The entire Indianapolis Colts organization is built around a suspect quarterback competition this fall, with the result carrying significant ramifications," Sobleski wrote. "Indianapolis signed Daniel Jones to push Richardson and possibly even start if the latter doesn't show marked improvement over last season."

"Richardson's upside remains sky high. But he has to become far more efficient in the passing game to move the chains. If not, Jones will enter the lineup after flaming out as the New York Giants' starting quarterback for six seasons... Both could realistically fail, leading to significant organizational turnover in Indianapolis and the franchise taking another stab at addressing the game's most important position."

In 2024, Richardson failed to complete 50% of his passes as he finished the year with a 47.7% completion rate, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions through the air. On the ground, Richardson dialed in six more scores and lost a fumble three times.

In comparison, Jones completed 63.3% of his passes and threw for eight touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. He tacked on two more touchdowns and two lost fumbles in the run game.

For Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen, there will probably be a bit of bias toward Richardson since they were in the same front office that scouted him. However, it's impossible to overlook his poor passing numbers.

Richardson finished with the worst single-season completion percentage since Tim Tebow (46.5%) in 2011. While it's obviously a bad look on paper, there's been factors that have contributed to this number that are out of Richardson's control.

Injuries, drops, and a temporary benching have held Richardson back in his first two seasons. If he can stay on the field, there's a chance he could find his rhythm and become the passer that Ballard and Steichen thought he could be before entering the league.

Regardless, it's probably best to deep dive into the 2026 quarterback class anyways. As Ballard said earlier this year, you never know when knowing a quarterback will be useful in the future.

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